AM-1

AM-1

AD-4

F3D-1

AM-1

AD-4

F3D-1

USA

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.7	5.7	5.3

Class:

Strike aircraft

Torpedo bomber

Research:35 000

Purchase:210 000

Description

The AM-1 Mauler is a rank IV American attacker with a battle rating of 5.7 (AB/RB) and 5.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy".

The AM-1 is a classic American attack aircraft. As typical, it is heavy and cumbersome yet hard-hitting and versatile due to the weapons it can carry. Don't expect to effectively dogfight in the Mauler as the main purpose of this aircraft is to strike and eliminate the enemy's ground units. The AM-1 has the option to outfit HVARS and Tiny Tims rockets and bombs of all sizes depending on the targets to be hit. Enemy fighters should be avoided as they will typically be faster, more manoeuvrable and better equipped for air-to-air combat at which the AM-1 is at a significant disadvantage, however, when pressed into air combat some Mauler pilots end up working miracles and survive the encounter.

General info

Flight performance

The AM-1 is a rather cumbersome and heavy aircraft. For pilots new to the aircraft, they will notice even without a payload, the aircraft feels sluggish and can be even more frustrating early on while the aircraft is still in its stock phase. At low speeds, this aircraft is an easy target to prey on. Despite the circumstances, it is decently manoeuvrable for a single-seated attack aircraft allowing for the targeting of ground targets, however, care must be taken when it is necessary to manoeuvre as this aircraft bleeds energy very quickly.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 3,500 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	566	547	9600	23.0	23.8	10.9	10.9	170
Upgraded	___	589		__._	22.0	__._	14.2

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	700	420	350	300	~12	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 450	< 220	< 410	> 440

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,099 m	2,600 hp	N/A
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,250 m	1,800 hp	2,782 hp

Survivability and armour

The pilot is protected in the front by 40 mm of bulletproof glass and in the back by 9.5 mm of steel. There are also two 9.5 mm steel plates under the engine and cooling system.

The aircraft has three self-sealing fuel tanks: one behind the pilot, and one in either wing root. Since the fuel tanks are not particularly large, and since they're all located in one location, fuel fires are unlikely in this vehicle. However, if a fire does occur, the centralized location of the tanks near all of the vehicle's critical components means that the fire is not likely to put itself out.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The AM-1 is armed with:

• 4 x 20 mm T31 cannons, wing-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

Suspended armament

The AM-1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 14 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (3,500 lb total)
• 3 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,500 lb total)
• 3 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 3 x 569 mm Mk.13/44 torpedoes
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb (2,000 lb total)
• 12 x HVAR rockets
• 2 x Tiny Tim rockets
• 2 x Tiny Tim rockets + 12 x HVAR rockets
• 3 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 12 x HVAR rockets (1,500 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb + 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 12 x HVAR rockets (2,000 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb + 2 x Tiny Tim rockets + 12 x HVAR rockets (1,000 lb total)
• 12 x HVAR rockets + 3 x 569 mm Mk.13/44 torpedoes
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 12 x HVAR rockets (2,000 lb total)
• 3 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 10 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (4,000 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb + 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 10 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (4,500 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 12 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (5,000 lb total)

Usage in battles

The AM-1 is a classic attacker, and it will come as no surprise that its manoeuvrability is lacking. It's fine at high speeds, but at low speeds, the aircraft quickly becomes sluggish, even when no payload is equipped. The plane also has poor acceleration and poor manoeuvring energy retention, all of which means that this plane struggles in a dogfight. If the pilot does find themselves in an engagement against a dedicated fighter aircraft, the best thing to do would be to fly towards a teammate who can help.

Where this plane shines is in a ground-attack role. The cannons, when using ground target belts, can take out lightly armoured targets quite effectively, and the high ammo count is certainly a nice bonus. Additionally, this plane receives an incredible number of ordnance options, from HVAR and Tiny Tim rockets to up to 5000 lbs of bombs. In Air Realistic battles these can destroy the most heavily armoured ground targets, and in Ground Realistic these allow the pilot to achieve 7 kills against enemy ground units without landing to reload.

This plane also receives three torpedoes for use in naval battles.

All in all, the AM-1 is a below-average fighter with incredible anti-ground capabilities. Although sluggish, it more than makes up for it in pure firepower.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Not controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator			M64	FRC mk.2
II		Compressor	Airframe	Offensive 20 mm	M65
III	Wings repair	Engine			Mk.13	LFRC mk.12
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 20 mm cannons	M66

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Large and versatile payload
• Decent 20 mm cannons for head-ons or ground attack purposes
• Airbrakes and arresting hook

Cons:

• No defensive armament
• Sluggish at low speeds
• Poor acceleration
• Bleeds energy quickly if manoeuvring

History

Development

In the 1930's and 1940's the Navy had two designations for carrier-based bombers: dive bombers and torpedo bombers, which each had a crew of 2-3 men. It was found during the war that more than 1 crewman was unnecessary, even in combat situations. In addition, if the two classes of naval bombers were combined into one aircraft, it would allow for a carrier's air group to have more flexibility and to increase the amount of fighters on the carrier. The Navy asked for design proposals for a multi-purpose bomber in 1943, and chose 4 designs to continue. These were the Curtiss XBTC, Douglas XBT2D Skyraider, Kaiser-Fleetwings XBTK, and the Martin XBTM. The Navy asked Martin to create a design using the Pratt and Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major engine as a backup to the Curtiss design, which the Navy feared was overly complex.

Design

The XBTM-1 was a low-wing monoplane with folding wings for carrier storage, and conventional landing gear. It featured a single-seat cockpit with a teardrop shaped canopy right behind the engine. There was a 150 gallon fuel tank behind the cockpit. There was a dive break that ran the length of the trailing edge of the wing. The wing design was ideal for dive bombing, because of the large surface area, but the ailerons were much less efficient, as they were not wide. The pilot and oil cooler were protected by heavy armor. The primary armament consisted of four 20 mm T-31 cannons in the wings with 200 rounds per gun. Additional armament was suspended on one centerline hardpoint, and two outer hardpoints. These hardpoints could carry bombs, drop tanks, or torpedoes up to 2,300 pounds. The outer hardpoints could also take an AN/APS-4 search radar pod. 6 hardpoints could be added to the outer wings to carry 500 pound bombs or 5 inch rockets. After testing of the first two prototypes, slight modifications were made to the engine cowling, propeller, rudder, and vertical stabilizer. The BTM-1 was redesignated as the AM-1 in 1946.

Production and Service

The Navy ordered 750 BTM-1's in January of 1945, but changed the order to only 99 after the Japanese surrender in August. After the modifications to the design, and the re-designation to AM-1, deliveries began in March of 1947. A number of issues were found, including a badly layed out cockpit, tailhook issues, elevator control, and structural weakness of the fuselage. These issues were solved and mitigated. The Navy ordered 50 more AM-1's, known as the AM-1 Mauler. An electronic countermeasure version was created, known as the AM-1Q. The AM-1Q added an electronics operator in the fuselage, where the fuel tank used to be. The Mauler was found to be a hard to handle aircraft. It did not do well in carrier landings, and was hard to fly in a formation, plus it had maintenance issues. Despite this, it could carry more ordinance than the AD Skyraider, and was more stable when dive bombing.

The AM-1 was given to squadrons in the Atlantic Fleet. It served for a relatively short amount of time, as although the Skyraider could carry less secondary armament, it flew better, landed better, and was more reliable. In 1950, all Mauler's were moved to shore-based squadrons, but they were abandoned in the same year to Naval Reserve squadrons. They were retired from service with the Naval Reserve squadrons in 1953.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Blackburn Firebrand
• Blackburn Firecrest
• Douglas A-1 Skyraider
• Westland Wyvern

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.

Glenn L. Martin Company
Attackers	AM-1
Bombers	B-10B · B-26B · PBM-1 · PBM-3 · PBM-5A
Jet bombers	B-57A* · B-57B*
Export	Martin 139WC · Martin 167-A3 · B-26C
	* These aircraft were license-built from The English Electric Company Limited who developed and built the British English Electric Canberra.